Power-transmitting device.



No. 760,160. v PATENTED MAY 17, 1904.

0. SMITH & T. STAFFORD.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVIGE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 26, 1903.

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No. 760,160. PATBNTED MAY 17, 1904. 0. SMITH & T. STAFFORD,

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 26, 1903.

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l'NTo. 760,166.

Patented MalylY, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLEMENT SMITH AND TERRY STAFFORD, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

POWER-TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 760,160, dated May 17,1904. Application filed December 26, 1903. Serial N0= 186,681. (Nomodel.)

To (LU, whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLEMENT SMITH and TERRY STAFFORD, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State ofKansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Power- TransmittingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention pertains to power-transmitting devices such as aredesigned. more particularly for use in automobiles; and it has for itsobject to provide a simple and inexpensive transmitting device adaptedto be easily understood and operated and embodying no delicate partssuch asare likely to get out of order after a short period of use andone having an outboard-bearing supporting the sprocket adjacent to Wherethe power is applied and in which the gears are always in mesh, areentirely inclosed, and arranged to run in lubricant, with the resultthat noise is practically eliminated and dust and grit are preventedfrom gaining access to them, and are idle, and consequently notsubjected to wear during high speed.

The invention will be fully understood from the following descriptionand claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a view, partlyin elevation and partly in vertical section, of the transmitting deviceconstituting the preferred embodiment of our invention; Fig.2, a sectiontaken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section taken on the line 3 3of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail perspective view illustrating thebrake-shoes embraced in the device; Fig. 5, a detail plan view of themeans for applying the brakeshoes, and Fig. 6 an enlarged detail sectiontaken in the plane indicated by the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the severalviews of the drawings, referring to which- A is the casing of our noveltransmitting device. This casing in the present and preferred embodimentof our invention comprises an inner portion (1/, designed to be boltedor otherwise fixed to the side of an engine, and

an outer portion 7), connected, preferably in a detachable manner, tothe inner portion and having a central opening 0, surrounded by Babbittmetal o Carried by the inner portion of and contained in the casing isan annulus B. (Bestshown in Fig. 4c.) Said annulus, which is preferablyformed integral with the inner casing portion, is cut half-way around intwo places, as indicated byeand f, and transversely, as indicated by g,to form two resilient brake-shoes O D. These brakeshoes are provided ontheir outer sides adjacent to their free ends with lugs h, and each isadapted to be moved independently of the. other in the manner and forthe purpose hereinafter set forth.

E F are internal gear rings loosely arranged in the annulus B invertical alinement with the shoes C D, respectively; Gr, an annularplate connected to the edge of the lower portion of the annulus B andhaving for its purpose to hold the gear-rings E and F against lateralplay and displacement; H, an engineshaft extending through the center ofthe easing A; I J, gears keyed or otherwise fixed on said shaft; K, themale member of africtionclutchalso fixed on the shaft; L, the femalemember of the clutch, which is loose on the shaft and is adapted to bemoved laterally into and out of engagement with the member K; M M, studsorshort shafts carried by the clutch member L and extending laterallyoutward therefrom; N N, gears arranged on said studs or shafts andinter-meshed with the gear I, Fig. 2; P, a frame movable in the easingAtoward and from the clutch memberLand having, a sleeve Q surrounding theengine shaft and journaled in the opening 0 of the casing; R R, studs orshafts carried by the frame P and projecting laterally inward therefromand having reduced ends connected to the clutch member L, Fig. 1; S S,gears loosely mounted on said studs or shafts and interposed between andintermeshed with the gears N and the gear-ring G, and T T gears looselymounted on the studs R and disposed between and inter-meshed with thegear J and the gear-ring F.

In virtue of the construction thus far described it will be observedthat when the en- Lil gine-shaft is running and the brake-shoe C ispressed inwardly, so as to bear against and arrest rotation of thegear-ring E, the gears S, intermeshed with said ring, will be caused totravel in the reverse direction with reference to the direction ofmovement of the shaft H and at a lower rate of speed and will carry withthem the studs R and the frame P, so as to reverse or back up anautomobile, the sleeve Q of said frame being provided with a sprocketQ], as shown, or other suitable gear designed to form part of a drivingconnection between the transmitting device and the drive-axle of theautomobile. It will also be observed that when pressure is removed fromthe shoe C and applied to the shoe D the rotation of the gear-ring Fwill be arrested, and in consequence the frame P and the gear Q will becaused to travel at a slow speed in the same direction as theengine-shaft, this being desirable to start an automobileand also forhillclimbing purposes. It will be further noticed that when the frame Pis moved inwardly, by means presently described, to engage the clutchmember L with the member K the clutclnthe gear-rings E and F, and theframe P will turn freely within the annulus.

B, and the gear Q will be rotated at the same speed as the engine-shaft,this to propel the automobile forward at fullspeed.

The several gears within the casing A are in mesh at all times, and fromthis it follows that they are not subjected to shock or strain incidentto thechanges of. speed or direction of movement; also, that the changesof speed 'or direction of movement are not attend ed by noise. The gearsare entirely inclosed by the casing A, which is advantageous because itpermits of the gears being profusely lubricated or made to run inlubricant and at the same time assures the exclusion of dust and grit.In addition to entirely inclosing the gears and holding lubricant itwill be noticed that the casing A supports the sleeve Q and theengine-shaft at the point where the bearing is most neededz'. (2.,adjacent to the sprocket wheel or gear Q.

It will be apparent that without involving departure from the scope ofour invention various ratios of speed for the gear Q, may be afforded byusing one or more trains of gears of differing numbers of teeth, buthaving the same distancebetween the centers of the said levers andhaving a circumferential groove 8, a lever t, fulcrumed at anintermediate point of its length on a bracket a, fixed to the outerportion of the casing and having a yoke at its lower end engaging thegrooved portion of the wedge '1"; a shaft o, journaled in the bracket 20and in a boss on the inner portion of the casing and having a groovedcam w receiving an antifriction-roller a" on the upper arm of the leverzf; plungers y, arranged in bores in the outer portion of the casing andengaging the lugs it on the brake-shoes C D; levers C D,'fulcrumed onthe said casing portion and provided with screws a, arranged to engagethe plungers y, and cams 0 D fixed on the shaft 1'. As best shown inFigs. 5 and 6, the lever C is provided with a hollow lateral projection7), containing a spring-backed pin 0, which extends laterally inwardfrom the lever. The cam C which is complementary to the lever C, ispreferably shaped and relativelyarranged as shown and is beveled at oneside, as indicated by d. The cam D is a plain cam immediately underneaththe lever D and operates when the motion of the shaft 4) is reversed.The shaft 2) is designed to be rotated by an automobile operator throughthe medium of means which forms no part of our invention and istherefore not illustrated. When the said shaft'is turned in thedirection indicated by arrow in Figs. 1 and 2, the cam C bearing uponthe pin 0', raises the lever C, causing the plunger y to descend andpress the brake-shoe D against the ring F, thereby setting in motion theslow speed. Further motion of shaft 2) causes cam G to release, thusfreeing the low speed preparatory to engaging the high speed through theaction of the grooved cam '20, causing the lever t to move the wedge 1'outwardly, which operates the push-levers m an, forcing the casing Q,shafts M M M, and'female member of clutch L in the opposite directioninto engagement with the member K of clutch, thus obtaining the highspeed. Movement of the shaft 0) in a reverse direction will not engagethe slow speed, owing to the pin 0 striking the beveled rear side of camG and springing out of the way, snapping back into position for useagain as soon as the cam has passed it. Further movement in a reversedirection causes the cam D to lift the lever D, causing the plunger yunder said lever to descend and press the brake-shoe 0 against theinternal gearring E, thereby setting in motion the reverse motion orback-up. From this it will be appreciated that an automobile operator isenabled to quickly and easily set the reversegear in motion and asquickly and easily change the gear to slow speed forward and then tofull speed forward.

We have entered into a detailed description of the construction andrelative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferredembodiment of our invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exactunderstand- 1ng of the same. WVe do not desire, however, to beunderstood as confining ourselves to such specific construction andrelative arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications may bemade in practice as fairly fall within the scope of our invention asclaimed.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. In a power-transmitting device, the combination of a shaft, internalgear-rings surrounding the same, a clutch member fixed on the shaft, aclutch member loosely mounted on the shaft, a frame to be driven,loosely mounted on the shaft, connected with the second-mentioned clutchmember and movable toward and from the first-mentioned clutch member,gears fixed on the shaft, gears carried by the frame to be driven, andintermeshed with the internal gear-rings; one of said gears being alsointermeshed with one of the gears on the shaft, a gear carried by thesecond-mentioned clutch member, and interposed between the other gear ofthe frame and the other gear on the shaft, means for moving the framelaterally, and means for arresting rotation of the internal gear-rings.

2. In a power-transmitting device, the combination of a shaft, internalgear-rings surrounding the same, a clutch member fixed on the shaft, aclutch member loosely mounted on the shaft, a frame to be driven,loosely mounted on the shaft,connected with the second-mentioned clutchmember and movable toward and from the first-mentioned clutch member,gears fixed on the shaft, sets of gears carried by the frame to bedriven,and intermeshedwith the internal gear-rings; one of said sets ofgears being also intermeshed with one of the gears on the shaft, a gearcarried by the second-mentioned clutch member, and interposed betweenthe other gear of the frame and the other gear on the shaft,independently-movable brakeshoes normally resting out of engagement withthe gear-rings, means for pressing said shoes into engagement with thegear-rings to arrest rotation of the latter, and means for moving thegear-carrying frame laterally.

3. In a power-transmitting device, the combination of a fixed annulushaving independently-movable, resilient brake-shoes, a shaft extendingthrough said annulus, internal gearrings loosely arranged in the annulusin position to be engaged by the brake-shoes, means for pressing thebrake-shoes inwardly, a clutch member fixed on the shaft, a clutchmember loosely mounted on the shaft, a frame to be driven, looselymounted on the shaft, connected with the second-mentioned clutch memberand movable toward and from the first-mentioned clutch member, gearsfixed on the shaft, gears carried by the frame to be driven, andintermeshed with the internal gear-rings; one of said gears being alsointermeshed with one of the gears on the shaft, a gear carried by thesecond-mentioned clutch member, and interposed between the other gear ofthe frame and the other gear on the shaft, and means for moving thegear-carrying frame laterally.

4. In a power-transmitting device, the combination of a casing, anannulus fixed in said casing, and having independently-movable,resilient brake-shoes, a shaft extending through the casing, internalgear-rings loosely arranged in the annulus in position to be engaged bythe brake-shoes, means for pressing the brake-shoes inwardly, a clutchmember fixed on the shaft, a clutch member loosely mounted on the shaft,a frame to, be driven, having a sleeve loosely mounted on the shaft andjournaled in the casing; said frame being connected with thesecond-mentioned clutch member and movable toward and from thefirst-mentioned clutch member, gears fixed on the shaft, gears carriedby the frame to be driven, and intermeshed with the internal gear-rings;one of said gears being also intermeshed with one of the gears on theshaft, a gear carried by the second-mentioned clutch member, andinterposed between the other gear of the frame and the other gear on theshaft, and means for moving the gear-carrying frame laterally.

5. In apower-transmitting device, the combination of a casing comprisingan inner section, an outer section connected to the inner section, andan interior annulus formed integral with the inner section, and havingindependentlymovable, resilient brake-shoes, means for pressing saidshoes inwardly, a shaft extending through the casing, internalgear-rings loosely arranged in the annulus in position to be engaged bythe brake-shoes, a clutch member fixed on the shaft, a clutch memberloosely mounted on the shaft, a frame to be driven having a sleeveloosely mounted on the shaft, and journaled in the outer section of thecasing; said frame being connected with the second-mentioned clutchmember and movable toward and from the first-mentioned clutch member,gears fixed on the shaft, gears carried by the frame to be driven, andintermeshed with the internal gearrings; one of said gears being alsointermeshed with one of the gears on the shaft, a gear carried by thesecond-mentioned clutch member, and interposed between the other gear ofthe frame and the other gear on the shaft, and means for moving thegear-carrying frame laterally.

6. In a power-transmitting device, the combination of a casing havingbores, plungers movable in said bores, a fixed annulus arranged in thecasing, and having independently-movable resilient brake-shoes providedwith lugs arranged to be engaged by theplungers, means for moving saidplungers, ashaft extending through the casing, internal gear:

rings loosely arranged in the annulus in position to be engaged by thebrake-shoes, a clutch member fixed on the shaft, a clutch member looselymounted on the shaft, a frame to be driven having a sleeve looselymounted on the shaft, and journaled -in the outer section of the casing;said frame being connected with the second-mentioned clutch mem her andmovable toward and from the first -mentioned clutch member, gears fixedon the shaft, gears carried by the frame to be driven, and intermeshedwith the internal gear-rings; one of said gears being also intermeshedwith one of the gears on the shaft, a gear carried by thesecond-mentioned clutch member, and interposed between the other gear ofthe frame and the other gear on the shaft, and means for moving thegear-carrying frame laterally.

7 In a power-transmitting device, the combination of a casing havingbores, plungers movable in said bores, a fixed annulus arranged in thecasing, and having independently-movable, resilient brake-shoes providedwith lugs arranged to be engaged by the plungers, a shaft extendingthrough the casing, internal gearrings loosely arranged in the annulusin position to be engaged by the brake-shoes, a clutch member fixed onthe shaft, a clutch member loosely mounted on the shaft, a frame tobedriven having a sleeve loosely mounted on the shaft, and journaled inthe outer section of the casing; said frame being connected with thesecond-men tioned clutch member and movable toward and from thefirst-mentioned clutch member, gears fixed on the shaft, gears carriedby the frame to be driven, and intermeshed with the internal gear-rings;one of said gears being also intermeshed with one of the gears on theshaft, a gear carried by the second-mentioned clutch member andinterposed between the other gear of the frame and the other gear on theshaft, levers carried by the shaft, and arranged to engage and move thesleeve of the gear-carrying frame, a wedge movable between said levers,a shaft, a cam on said shaft, a lever having one arm engaging the wedgeand its other arm in engagement with the cam, a second cam on said shaftarranged to depress one of the plungers when the said shaft is turned inone direction, and a third cam on the said shaft arranged to depress theother plunger when the shaft is turned in the opposite direction.

8. In a power-transmitting device the combination of a shaft, aninternal gear-ring surrounding the same, a clutch member fixed on theshaft, a gear also fixed on the shaft, a clutch member loosely mountedon the shaft, a frame to be driven loosel mounted on the shaft,connected with the loose clutch member and movable toward and from thefirst mentioned clutch member,a gearcarried bythe said frame andintermeshed with the internal gear-ring and also with the gear on theshaft, means for moving the frame laterally and means for arrestingrotation of the internal gear.

9. In a power-transmitting device, the com bination of a shaft, aninternal gear-ring surrounding the same, a clutch member fixed on theshaft, a gear also fixed on the shaft, a clutch member loosely mountedon the shaft, a gear carried by the movable clutch member andintermeshed with the gear onthe shaft, a frame to be driven looselymounted on the shaft, connected with the loose clutch member and movabletoward and from the first mentioned clutch member, a gear carried by thesaid frame and intermeshed with the gear on the movable clutch memberand also with the internal gearring, means for moving the framelaterally, and

means for arresting rotation of the internal.

gear.

10. The combination in a power-transmitting device, of a shaft, a gearto be driven, gears intermediate of the shaft and the gear to be driven,gear-rings surrounding and engaging said gears, brake-shoes normallyresting out of engagement with said gear-rings, a rotary shaft, a cam onsaid shaft, means for depressing one brake-shoe, arranged to be engagedby said cam when the shaft is turned in one direction, a second cam onthe shaft, and means for depressing the other brake-shoe, arranged to beengaged by the latter cam when the shaft is turned in the oppositedirection.

11. The combination in a power-transmitting device, of a shaft, a gearto be driven, gears intermediate of the shaft and the gear to be driven,a gear-ring surroundingand engaging said gears, a brake-shoe normallyresting out of engagement with the perimeter of the gear-ring, a plungerarranged to press the brake-shoe against the gear-ring, a lever arrangedto engage the plunger, and a rotary cam arranged to engage the lever.

12. The combination in a power-transmitting device, of a shaft,-a gearto be driven, gears intermediate of the shaft and the gear to be driven,gear-rings surrounding and engaging said gears, brake-shoes normallyresting out of engagement with the perimeters of said gear-rings,plungers arranged to press the shoes against the rings, levers engagingthe plungers, a rotary shaft, a cam on said shaft arranged to operateone lever when the shaft is turned in one direction, and a second cam onthe shaft, arranged to operate the other lever when the shaft is turnedin the opposite direction.

13. The combination in a power-transmitting device, of a shaft, a gearto be driven, gears intermediate of the shaft and the gear to be driven,gear-rings engaging the gears, brake-shoes arranged to engage thegear-rings, plungers arranged to engage the brake-shoes, a rotary shaft,levers arranged to engage the plungers, a cam on the said shaft arrangedwhen the shaft is turned in one direction, to opcrate one lever, a camon the shaft arranged when the shaft is turned in the oppositedirection, to operate the other shaft, and means turned in the oppositedirection, and a second cam on the shaft arranged to engage the otherlever when the shaft is turned in the latter I5 direction.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

OLEMEN T SMITH. TERRY STAFFORD. Witnesses:

GEO. E. SToKEs, A. W. GREENWOOD.

